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Largest sockeye run since 1947 swimming up the Columbia River

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Something good’s up with the Columbia River. I’m not sure if it has to do with those spring pulse flows to flush out smolts that they’ve been doing recently…good ocean conditions…or a combination thereof, but the river’s been stuffed with fish the past couple years. If you’ll recall, the summer run steelhead numbers were through the roof in 2009 and the coho run was also massive. Now you can add sockeye to the list.

So far this year, over 350,000 sockeye salmon have made it over Bonneville Dam, three times the amount predicted by biologists and a modern-day record. And the run’s not over yet. Read more HERE

Now I have heard it all: Smoked Salmon Flavored Vodka!

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Mark Thiessen / AP

Two great tastes that taste great together…I think Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were onto something with that slogan, but I’m not totally sure about this one: Alaska Distillery’s Smoked Salmon Flavored Vodka. Before getting it right, it apparently took 48 tries to come up with just the right blend of vodka and fish. “Definitely the first few times we had our heave bucket close by… It was pretty bad, and you know, greasy,” says one of the drink’s creators.

Read all about this new handcrafted and very pink vodka at The Consumerist

Lower Deschutes River will stay open for fall kings

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Sherars Falls...the upper limit of Deschutes king fishing.

You know me…I like good fishery news when I hear it and here’s one Oregon salmon anglers will be stoked about: The lower Deschutes River will remain open for Chinook salmon fishing through Oct. 31 under a temporary rule adopted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The river is currently open for spring chinook fishing. The spring chinook fishing ends July 31, and the fall chinook season will open Aug. 1 under the newly-adopted rule. The river remains open for Chinook from the mouth at the I-84 bridge upstream to Sherars Falls. The daily catch limit for fall Chinook will be any two adults and any five jacks. (Jack salmon are Chinook 15-24 inches long.)
Click here to read more…

CDFG releases 16.5 million Chinook salmon smolts

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Live long and prosper, little buddies!!

Hope this helps…the California Department of Fish and Game just completed a release of 16.5 million Sacramento River fall-run Chinook salmon smolts on June 15.

The majority of the fish were placed into acclimation pens in San Pablo Bay prior to release, while others were released in rivers that flow to the bay. Smolts that survive to adulthood will return in two to four years to spawn in Central Valley rivers, boosting the recovery of the species in California waters.

“We hope this year’s above-average water flow and the use of a variety of release sites will improve the overall survival of the smolts and increase the return of adult salmon to their home rivers,” said Neil Manji, DFG Fisheries Branch Chief. Click here to read more…